Airbags are found all over vehicles and the automakers keep applying airbags throughout vehicles. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are U.S. federal regulations that require automakers to manufacture safer vehicles. Safer vehicles are accomplished by developing new technologies and optimizing current used safety features. For example, roof airbag curtains deploy from the roof rails to shield and protect occupants. With the new Occupant Ejection Mitigation standard curtain airbags are used in conjunction with laminated side glass to keep occupants inside the vehicle. Curtain airbags provide protection between the occupant and the window glass.

Rescuers are taught to peel and peek to find airbags hidden underneath the interior plastic trim. However, we need to understand multiple airbags and stored gas inflators are in many vehicles currently out on the road. A great example is the 2015 Ford Transit. The Transit has a side curtain airbag that is close to 17 feet long and uses two stored gas inflators, each 2 feet long.

Vehicles like station wagons and SUVs can have multiple airbags to cover occupants in the 3rd-row seats. The important takeaway, never assume locating the one stored gas inflator enables blind cutting on roof rails and pillars.